Jon Edward Martin
Encyclopedia
Jon Edward Martin is an American author
, who writes historical fiction
novels. He is best known for his novels about Ancient Greece
. He is a native of Massachusetts
, who holds a bachelor's degree in English Literature. He is married with three children; a daughter and two sons and he lives in Boston
, Massachusetts.
Jon is a member of the Historical Novel Society. He also is the advisory editor for Sparta - Journal of Ancient Spartan and Greek History.
In 2007, he released the third book, The Headlong God of War: A Tale of Ancient Greece and the Battle of Marathon .
But one single culture has captured his curiosity of Ancient Greece and soon became admiration for the birthplace of western civilization. This fascination has compelled him to travel to Greece, not for the cursory excursion of a tourist, but to walk on the same dusty roads, scramble over every toppled stone, tromp across the unchanged battlefields and stand upon Democracy's threshold.
This well-spring of information, combined with his academic knowledge, inspired his writing. Almost twenty years ago he began with magazine articles focusing primarily on WWII armour and tactics. Since then, he has embraced historical fiction as a way to populate history with living, breathing personalities, and hopefully kindle this same interest in history with others.
To enhance his readers' immersion in ancient times, he develops each character following the climax of the real historical events that changed the history of western civilization.
As a historical novel
ist Jon Edward Martin's ancient fiction is characterized by a willingness to explore historical events from a different point of view and his ability to reveal the human side of historical exploits.
His life-long study and fascination of Ancient Greece and his travels throughout modern Greece
inspired him to write In Kithairon’s Shadow, his first novel.
His subsequent historical novels were all set in ancient Greece; a novel about the Battle of Marathon, The Headlong God of War and an epic novel about the battle that changed the route of ancient Sparta’s history, Shades of Artemis.
(December 7, 2003)
In 480 B.C., Xerxes I, king of the Persian Empire, led a vast and uncountable army intent on the domination of Europe. Only a tiny collection of Greek city-states stood in his path.
At Thermopylae the Persians annihilated a small holding force commanded by King Leonidas of Sparta, then quickly marched on to Athens, reducing the city to ruins.
Outnumbered and beset by treachery, Sparta, Athens and their allies gathered near the town of Plataea for one final battle. The future of the whole world hung on the outcome.
In Kithairon’s Shadow is the story of five men from ancient Greece and the parts they would play in determining their future, and maybe the future of Western civilization.
(February 13, 2005)
Shades of Artemis recounts the life of Brasidas, Spartas most audacious commander, from his upbringing in the Spartan military school called the Agoge to his induction into the ranks of the ancient worlds finest warriors. Overcoming petty jealousies and the politics of his own country, he finally rises to the rank of general and embarks on a daring mission to bring Athens to its knees and an end to the Peloponnesian War. With the death of Pericles, the politician Kleon becomes the architect of war policy in Athens, directing the strategy against Sparta. Thucydides, the Athenian general and chronicler of the conflict, bears witness to the brutality of ancient combat, the devastating plague that strikes his city, and the ambition of fellow Athenians that rely on war to sustain them. In the last quarter of the fifth century BC, these three men would meet in battle on the plains of northern Greece and determine the course of Western Civilizations first world war.
(September 17, 2007)
September 11—a strike force has been launched against one of western civilization’s great centers of culture and trade. Funded by the most powerful man in the Middle East and carried out by his trusted lieutenants, this attack is intended to bring an end to western democracy… This is not the attack on the Twin Towers or the Pentagon in the U.S., but the invasion of Europe by the Persian Empire in 490 B.C. On a narrow plain that sweeps down to the Bay of Marathon in Greece, citizens of the world’s first democracy will make a desperate stand against the greatest power of the ancient world.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, who writes historical fiction
Historical fiction
Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...
novels. He is best known for his novels about Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
. He is a native of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, who holds a bachelor's degree in English Literature. He is married with three children; a daughter and two sons and he lives in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts.
Jon is a member of the Historical Novel Society. He also is the advisory editor for Sparta - Journal of Ancient Spartan and Greek History.
In 2007, he released the third book, The Headlong God of War: A Tale of Ancient Greece and the Battle of Marathon .
Early life
For most of his life he has pursued a passion for ancient history, both political and military, which has motivated him research extensively on these subjects.But one single culture has captured his curiosity of Ancient Greece and soon became admiration for the birthplace of western civilization. This fascination has compelled him to travel to Greece, not for the cursory excursion of a tourist, but to walk on the same dusty roads, scramble over every toppled stone, tromp across the unchanged battlefields and stand upon Democracy's threshold.
This well-spring of information, combined with his academic knowledge, inspired his writing. Almost twenty years ago he began with magazine articles focusing primarily on WWII armour and tactics. Since then, he has embraced historical fiction as a way to populate history with living, breathing personalities, and hopefully kindle this same interest in history with others.
Works
His historical fiction books are well-researched, following the sequence of real events of ancient times. He typically writes his novels using the ancient terms and place names along with popular historical figures in his attempt to capture the spirit of the times.To enhance his readers' immersion in ancient times, he develops each character following the climax of the real historical events that changed the history of western civilization.
As a historical novel
Historical novel
According to Encyclopædia Britannica, a historical novel is-Development:An early example of historical prose fiction is Luó Guànzhōng's 14th century Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which covers one of the most important periods of Chinese history and left a lasting impact on Chinese culture.The...
ist Jon Edward Martin's ancient fiction is characterized by a willingness to explore historical events from a different point of view and his ability to reveal the human side of historical exploits.
His life-long study and fascination of Ancient Greece and his travels throughout modern Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
inspired him to write In Kithairon’s Shadow, his first novel.
His subsequent historical novels were all set in ancient Greece; a novel about the Battle of Marathon, The Headlong God of War and an epic novel about the battle that changed the route of ancient Sparta’s history, Shades of Artemis.
Books
- In Kithairon's Shadow: A Novel of Ancient Greece and the Persian War
(December 7, 2003)
In 480 B.C., Xerxes I, king of the Persian Empire, led a vast and uncountable army intent on the domination of Europe. Only a tiny collection of Greek city-states stood in his path.
At Thermopylae the Persians annihilated a small holding force commanded by King Leonidas of Sparta, then quickly marched on to Athens, reducing the city to ruins.
Outnumbered and beset by treachery, Sparta, Athens and their allies gathered near the town of Plataea for one final battle. The future of the whole world hung on the outcome.
In Kithairon’s Shadow is the story of five men from ancient Greece and the parts they would play in determining their future, and maybe the future of Western civilization.
- Shades of Artemis: A Novel of Ancient Greece and the Spartan Brasidas
(February 13, 2005)
Shades of Artemis recounts the life of Brasidas, Spartas most audacious commander, from his upbringing in the Spartan military school called the Agoge to his induction into the ranks of the ancient worlds finest warriors. Overcoming petty jealousies and the politics of his own country, he finally rises to the rank of general and embarks on a daring mission to bring Athens to its knees and an end to the Peloponnesian War. With the death of Pericles, the politician Kleon becomes the architect of war policy in Athens, directing the strategy against Sparta. Thucydides, the Athenian general and chronicler of the conflict, bears witness to the brutality of ancient combat, the devastating plague that strikes his city, and the ambition of fellow Athenians that rely on war to sustain them. In the last quarter of the fifth century BC, these three men would meet in battle on the plains of northern Greece and determine the course of Western Civilizations first world war.
- The Headlong God of War: A Tale of Ancient Greece and the Battle of Marathon
(September 17, 2007)
September 11—a strike force has been launched against one of western civilization’s great centers of culture and trade. Funded by the most powerful man in the Middle East and carried out by his trusted lieutenants, this attack is intended to bring an end to western democracy… This is not the attack on the Twin Towers or the Pentagon in the U.S., but the invasion of Europe by the Persian Empire in 490 B.C. On a narrow plain that sweeps down to the Bay of Marathon in Greece, citizens of the world’s first democracy will make a desperate stand against the greatest power of the ancient world.